The prior art includes conventional remodel boxes and rings that require cutting and other tools as well as substantial time for installation in sheet material. In addition the prior art apparatus is limited to installation on wallboard materials that are ½″ thick or less. The prior art mounting apparatus limited by the thickness of the material in which they are installed within. When the wall has a thickness that is greater than ½″ thick, additional tools are required for installation as well as additional labor for installation.
Cable ties are widely used. Typically in the most popular form, a cable tie consists of a sturdy nylon tape with an integrated rack gear, and on one end a ratchet that engages the rack when installed. Once the pointed tip of the cable tie has been pulled through the case and past the ratchet, it is prevented from being pulled back; the resulting loop may only be pulled tighter. This allows several cables to be bound together into a cable tree. A cable tie tensioning device or tool may be used to apply a cable tie with a specific degree of tension. A tool may also cut off the axial extremity or tail of the tape flush with the head in order to avoid a sharp edge which might otherwise cause injury. In order to increase resistance to ultraviolet light in outdoor applications, a specific grade of nylon containing a minimum of 2% carbon black is used to protect the polymer chains and extend the cable tie's service life. An understanding of such devices facilitates an understanding of the one embodiment of the present invention.
In new construction, electrical work boxes are generally mounted to exposed studs or framing elements using nails or screws. In existing construction, electrical work boxes may be affixed to existing walls, including wallboard, lathe and plaster or other wall surfaces that have been mounted over framing. Such boxes are commonly referred to as old work boxes.
The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,129,411 issued to Jeffrey A. Bump on Oct. 31, 2006. The patent describes an apparatus therein that is directed to the fastening field, particularly to the mounting of devices, such as an electrical box, within a component, such as an opening in wallboard. The apparatus described includes mounting an electrical work box that may be metallic or of thermoplastic composition, designed to support an electrical device. The electrical device may be a switch or plug receptacle in single, dual or multiple “gang” configurations, a lighting fixture, a ceiling fan, a speaker, or an alarm. The electrical work box may also provide wiring junctions for electrical applications, such as low voltage applications (defined as less than 50 volts) associated with audio/visual devices, telephone devices and computer networking devices. The apparatus includes a tape that includes an integrated rack gear for securing the box.
The mounting of some prior art work boxes may include one or more pressure/spring retaining latch. Such latches are usually vertically and/or horizontally mounted to the exterior sides of the boxes and allow the box to be pushed through a wall opening. Once through the opening, the latches deploy by spreading beyond the rear edge of the wall opening. Pawls, commonly referred to as ears, wings, or fingers, are mounted on two or more opposing corners of the electrical work box. When deployed by means of a tightening screw, the pawls, in conjunction with opposing flanges integrally mounted on the front edges of the box, serve to clamp the box to the wall.
The retaining mechanisms employing latches and pawls often fail to securely mount the old work boxes in place. Where wall thickness varies, a thicker than typical wall may preclude pressure/spring retaining latches from expanding. A thinner than normal wall may result in space between the retaining latch and the rear wall surface and allow the box to move back and forth within the wall. Irregularities in the posterior wall surface in lathe and plaster walls or in insulating materials may also prevent pressure/spring retaining latches and/or screw activated pawls from properly deploying. Further, in mounting electrical boxes using screw activated pawls, deployment of the pawls may over tighten the screw, resulting in stripping the threads in the pawl or breaking the wall material. As a result, the box must be dismounted and discarded and installation must be started over with a new box or in a new location.
While the apparatus described in the Bump patent may be acceptable for some applications there are still difficulties that complicate installation of electrical junction boxes there is a need for a more reliable, quicker to use, and more versatile fastening system for such boxes.